Mid-Suffolk Light Railway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mid-Suffolk Light Railway |
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Falmouth Docks in full steam.
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| Locale | England |
| Terminus | Brockford |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name | Mid-Suffolk Light Railway |
| Built by | Mid-Suffolk Light Railway |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Preserved operations | |
| Operated by | Mid-Suffolk Light Railway |
| Stations | 2 |
| Length | 1⁄2 mile (0.8 km) |
| Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 1908 |
| Closed to passengers | 1952 |
| Closed | 1952 |
| Preservation history | |
| 1992 | Formation of preservation company |
The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway (MSLR), also known as the Middy Line, was a special kind of railway. It was built to help farmers in central Suffolk, England, move their goods. This railway was able to be built cheaply thanks to a law called the Light Railways Act 1896.
People in the area were very excited about the idea. They hoped to build a 50-mile (80 km) railway network. However, not enough people bought shares in the company, so it ran into money problems. In 1904, only 19 miles (31 km) of the line opened for goods trains, connecting Haughley to Laxfield. The railway didn't make much money, which made its financial situation even worse.
The company still dreamed of finishing the whole network. But high loan payments forced the company into serious financial trouble in 1906. Passenger trains started running in 1908, but not many people used them. In 1923, many railways in Britain joined together. The Middy Line was still in debt, but in 1924, it became part of the London and North Eastern Railway.
Because so few people used the line, it closed down in 1952. Today, a group of railway fans runs a museum at Brockford. They are working to bring parts of the Middy Line back to life.
Contents
Early Railways in Suffolk
The first railway in central Suffolk was the Ipswich and Bury Railway. It opened in 1846, connecting Ipswich to Haughley and Bury St Edmunds. This company later joined with the Eastern Union Railway. By 1849, the line reached Norwich from Haughley.
Another railway, the East Suffolk Railway, opened in 1859. It linked Ipswich to Yarmouth and Lowestoft. These lines eventually became part of the Great Eastern Railway (GER) in 1862. The area between these main lines was mostly farmland, with little industry.
The Light Railways Act
In 1896, a new law called the Light Railways Act was passed. This law made it easier and cheaper to build small railways. It allowed for simpler rules and lower safety standards for equipment. In 1898, some engineers contacted villages in Mid-Suffolk. They said a client would help fund a light railway if local people also contributed.
People were very keen on the idea. Soon, almost 300 people gave money to help pay for the legal costs. In May 1899, an application was made to build the railway. It was a big plan for a 50 miles (80 km) railway network. Supporters called it "the most important Light Railway scheme" since the new law.
The plan was to connect the Ipswich to Norwich line with the East Suffolk line. It would run from Haughley to Halesworth, and other sections. The railway would use the standard track width. The Great Eastern Railway (GER) supported the idea, but had some concerns. The plan for a connection to Needham Market was dropped, making the network 42 miles long. The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Order was approved on April 5, 1900. The company needed to raise £225,000 to build it.
Building the Railway
The directors quickly hired a company, S Pearson and Sons, to build the railway in July 1900. But after a few months, the builders complained they hadn't received instructions to start. This was because the railway company was struggling to raise enough money from investors.
In November 1901, engineers found a problem near the River Blyth at Halesworth. They suggested a change to the route. The company asked its bank for a loan of £1,000 to pay for more surveys. It wasn't until December 1901 that the company finally offered shares to the public. S Pearson and Sons quit the project, frustrated by the delays. Another builder, S Jackson, was hired instead.
The first ground was broken on May 3, 1902, at Westerfield. The event was a big celebration, even though the company had money problems. Six hundred guests attended, and the 83-year-old Duke of Cambridge performed the ceremony. In July 1902, the bank agreed to another loan of £15,000. Many more loans followed.
In September 1902, Lord Kitchener, a famous general, visited the area. The railway line was mostly finished between Haughley and Mendlesham. Lord Kitchener rode on a contractor's wagon along the line. He then continued by car, which was very new at the time.
By August 1903, the company had taken out more loans because not enough people bought shares. The company hoped to open the Westerfield section first to attract passengers. They also considered using new "steam railcars" that were becoming popular. By the end of 1903, the company's money problems were very clear. The bank refused to lend any more money, which surprised the directors. In April 1904, the government offered a £25,000 grant if the local council also gave money, but the council refused.
Discussions with the Great Eastern Railway (GER) about connecting the lines were difficult. The GER asked for a very high rent for using their Haughley station. It took until February 1905 to get approval for the route change at Halesworth. Even then, there were arguments about steep slopes and how the Middy trains would affect GER traffic.
Opening the Line
The line between Haughley and Laxfield finally opened for goods trains on September 20, 1904. However, much work was still needed to finish the line. The first train left Haughley at 8:00 a.m., pulled by a contractor's engine called Lady Stevenson. It carried ballast wagons for construction, but picked up some packages on its way back.
The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway's own first locomotive arrived in November 1904. It was an 0–6–0 tank engine, numbered 1 and named Haughley. The manufacturer had held it back because they worried the company couldn't pay. More goods wagons arrived later. A second locomotive came in March 1905. Goods stations were set up at Mendlesham, Aspall, Kenton, Horham, and Stradbroke. Later, stations opened at Old Newton, Brockford, Worlingworth, and Wilby. The railway helped move cattle from the Laxfield area, which affected the GER's business at Framlingham.
In January 1905, the company planned to start passenger services. They wanted to run four passenger trains each way between Haughley and Laxfield daily. On Tuesdays, which was Ipswich market day, they would run six trains. Passenger trains needed approval from the Board of Trade, which hadn't happened yet. Despite this, a private passenger train ran in June 1905. Over 100 members of a historical society rode the train to Kenton to visit local buildings.
In 1905, the company owned 2 locomotives, 7 carriages, 2 brake vans, 18 goods wagons, 2 horseboxes, and 6 cattle wagons. Most of the rolling stock was paid for. During this time, there were many disagreements between the builder and the company. The company's own engineer was replaced.
In March 1905, the company's chairman, Francis Seymour Stevenson, suddenly resigned. It became known that he was personally bankrupt. This news, along with the builder leaving, badly damaged the company's reputation. When loans were due and there was no money to pay them, lawsuits were filed against the company. The company sold land at Westerfield to the Great Eastern Railway to pay off some of its debt.
The Board of Trade inspection for passenger service happened on July 2, 1905. Lieutenant Colonel P. G. Von Donop found many problems and refused permission for passenger trains. In 1906, the company decided to extend the line by over a mile and a half to Cratfield. This section opened in June 1906. Sometimes, passengers were allowed to ride on the goods trains.
Financial Troubles and Passenger Service
More loans were due in October 1906, and the company had no way to pay them. The company went bankrupt, and a receiver was appointed on October 6, 1906. A receiver is someone appointed to manage a company's finances when it's in trouble. J F R Daniel, an experienced manager, was brought in. He was 78 years old.
In February 1907, a public hearing was finally held about the Halesworth route change. The company wanted to cross the GER line and connect with the narrow-gauge Southwold Railway. The GER objected, saying it would be unfair competition. The Commissioners agreed, and the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway could not proceed with this plan.
The receiver's main goal was to start passenger service. A lot of work was done to make this happen. Von Donop inspected the line again on September 25, 1908. He was not completely happy but approved the opening if some minor issues were fixed. Passenger service finally began on September 29, 1908.
Changes Over Time
In February 1912, the section from Laxfield Mill to Cratfield was closed. It wasn't making enough money. The directors still hoped to extend the line to Halesworth. But they were told they would have to buy the line back from the receiver and get permission from all the investors. This was impossible. The directors finally accepted that their big railway plan would not happen. The track beyond Laxfield was removed in 1914 for use during World War I. The Cratfield extension had opened in 1906 and closed in 1912. The original 50-mile plan was now just 19 miles.
In the summer of 1911, a Sunday train service ran, but it didn't make money. It was not repeated in later years.
The Grouping of Railways
After World War I, the railway needed a lot of repairs, but it didn't have enough money. The Railways Act 1921 brought most British railways into four large new companies. This was called "the grouping." The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway was supposed to join the new London and North Eastern Railway (LNER).
However, the MSLR was still in financial trouble and had large debts. The LNER negotiated with the people the MSLR owed money to. They managed to reduce the debt from £89,794 to £29,960. This dispute took some time, finally ending on April 3, 1924. The official transfer to LNER was back-dated to January 1, 1923.
The LNER looked closely at how many passengers used the line. From 1925 to 1928, the number of passenger tickets sold from the branch stations dropped from 3,296 to 2,162. In 1930, the line only made £990. There was even a serious idea to turn the railway into a road, but it was found to be too difficult.
Closure of the Line
During World War II, the passenger train service was cut to two trains each way daily. It stayed at this level for the rest of the line's life. From November 1939, the branch trains used the LNER platform at Haughley. The original MSLR station was only used for goods trains.
Fewer and fewer people used the line, and it lost more and more money. So, the decision was made to close it. All train services stopped on July 28, 1952. The railway tracks were later removed by contractors.
Railway Stations
Here are the passenger stations that were on the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway:
- Haughley; opened September 29, 1908; closed January 1925; trains moved to the main line station.
- Mendlesham; opened September 29, 1908; closed July 28, 1952.
- Brockford and Wetheringsett; opened September 29, 1908; closed July 28, 1952.
- Aspall and Thorndon; opened September 29, 1908; closed July 28, 1952.
- Kenton; opened September 29, 1908; closed July 28, 1952.
- Worlingworth; opened September 29, 1908; closed July 28, 1952.
- Horham; opened September 29, 1908; closed July 28, 1952.
- Stradbroke; opened September 29, 1908; closed July 28, 1952.
- Wilby; opened July 1909; closed July 28, 1952.
- Laxfield; opened September 29, 1908; closed July 28, 1952.
The Middy Heritage Railway
Almost 40 years after the original line closed, a group of railway fans decided to bring the Middy Line back to life. They formed a company at the site of the Brockford and Wetheringsett railway station.
It was a tough job because the original line was built very simply. As far as we know, none of the original Middy coaches or locomotives still exist. The old station buildings, made of corrugated iron, were either left to rust or sold to become farm sheds. However, the group has been recreating typical scenes from the Middy's past. They use restored coaches and wagons that would have run on the bigger Great Eastern Railway or the London & North Eastern Railway.
The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Society has collected several Great Eastern coaches. Three are now working, and others are being restored. The museum has also saved some of the remaining station buildings from former Middy railway stations.
In February 2017, the railway got permission to extend the line to a new station called Wilby Halt. The plan is to eventually reopen the line as far as Aspall. They made good progress on this extension during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The society also has a collection of goods wagons and old road delivery vehicles. They have many items found along the old railway line. Plus, there's an archive of photos and original items from when the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway was running. The museum is open from April to the end of September on Sundays and Bank Holidays. They also have special Santa trains in December. Many Open Days feature a special event with the steam locomotive running.
Rolling Stock
To learn more about the trains and wagons that ran on the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway, see: Rolling stock of the mid-Suffolk light railway
The Middy in Books and TV
The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway was the inspiration for a novel by John Hadfield called Love on a Branch Line. The book was first published in 1959. It was later made into a television series in 1994.
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